Curtain-stretcher.



HELENA A. SOHVVARZ, OF WATERBURY, CONNECTICUT.

CURTAIN-STRETCHER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 29, 1905.

Application led September 14, 1904. Serial No. 224,420.

To all whom, I? p11/,ty concern:

Be it known that I, HELENA A. SCHWARZ, a citizen of the United States, residing at Waterbury, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful .Improvements in Ourtain-Stretchers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

Mv invention relates to curtain-stretchers, and is an improvement on the construction shown and described in Letters Patent No. 632,867, dated September 12, 1899.

The object of my invention is to provide clamping devices which will permit of the slightest adjustments of the stretcher, whereby short curtains or pillow-shams may be stretched without danger of tearing or distortion; and with these ends in view my invention consists in certain details of construction and combination of parts, such as will be hereinafter fully set forth and then specifically designated by the claim.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is afront elevation of my improved frame, showing two short curtains as they appear when stretched thereon. Figs. 2 and 3 are'broken perspective views illustrating one corner of my improved stretcher and showing the manner in which the side and cross bars are held within and secured by the clamp, and Fig. 4 a section at the line a' fr of Fig. 1.

Similar numbers of reference denote like parts in the several figures of the drawings.

In the construction shown and described in the above-named patent the side and cross bars were provided with holes, and the adjustments were effected by shifting these bars and inserting pins through these holes; but this method of adjustment is not satisfactory, in that it is limited. For instance, an adjustment made by placing a pin in one hole might stretch a curtain to the point of tearing, whereas an adjustmentv by placing said pin in another hole might permit the curtain to sag too much.

By the use of my present improved clamp most minute adjustments are provided for and a curtain is not likely to become torn or distorted.

The body portions of my improved clamps are made from sheet metal bent up into a general U shape, so as to provide stirrups 1, the sides of these body portions being provided at their upperv parts with rectangular openings 2 opposite each other and the upper edges of these sides being surmounted by perforated ears 3, through which extend pintle-lugs 4, that are integral with the resilient clampinglevers', which latter are provided with finger-lifts 6.

It will be noticed by referring to Fig. 4 of the drawings that the lever 5 is substantially V-shaped, and when in clamping position its apex is out of alinement with the fulcrum of the lever and the point of Contact between the lever and frame which is nearest the fulcrum. A degree of resiliency is thus obtained which permits the lever to automatically adjust itself to and firmly clamp the parts of the frame together whether or not said parts have been worn thin through constant usage. By providing a resilient lever such as described the same will not dig or cut into the parts of the frame as will a rigid clamping device.

At the ends of the stretcher-frame the side bars 7 are supported loosely within the stirrup portions l, while' the cross-bars 8 extend loosely through the rectangular openings 2. The lower edges of' the openings 2 are slightly below the upper faces of the side bars, as shown in dotted lines at Fig. 4, so that the cross-bars rest directly upon the side bars.

At the middle of the stretcher-frame, on opposite sides thereof, I utilize a pair of these clamps; but in this instance I provide a middle cross-bar 9, which rests at its ends loosely within the stirrup portions 1 of the clamps, while the side bars 7 extend loosely through the rectangular openings in these clamps.

The side bars and cross-bars 8 have in their upper and lower faces grooves 10 11, respectively, and I provide yokes 12, which embrace the inner edges of theseY bars and whose extremities extend within these grooves and which have small hooks 13 projecting therefrom just as is shown and described in the aforesaid patent.

The middle cross-bar 9 is provided with two grooves 14 15 in its upper face and corresponding grooves (not shown) in its lower face, and within these grooves extend the ends of yokes 18 19, which carry projecting hooks 2O 21, respectively. The object of this middle cross-bar is to provide for the stretching of short curtains or lace pillow-shams, as shown at Fig. 1 of the drawings, and the various hooks 0n the side bars and the cross-bars are engaged with the curtain or pillow-sham while the latter is in a damp condition.

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I n the construction set forth in the patent aforesaid even a full -sized curtain would shrink during drying so as to eXert such a strain as to tear it from the hooks, and thereby spoil the curtain. The pin-and-hole adjustment will not cure this defect, since only a slight relaxation of the tension is necessary, and the placing of the pin in a new hole would give too much sag, and the curtain would thereby be distorted 'during the iinal drying process. This difliculty -is far more pronounced in the stretching and drying of short curtains or lace pillow-shams; but by the use of my improvement the slightest adjustment of either the side or cross bars may be effected.

During the drying process should it be found that the curtain would be apt to exert too great a strain on the hooks the clamping-leversare elevated, as shown at Fig. 2, so as to release the bars, and the strain on' the hooks will then automatically draw the bars into the proper adjustment, whereupon the levers are forced down into clamping position, as shown at Fig. 3, to hold the curtain until it is completely dry.

A curtain stretched and dried b v my improvement will preserve its shape and will not become distorted as to its meshes or open-work pattern.

By depressing the lifts 6 to the position shown at Fig. 3 the clamping-levers will be forced against the bars immediately beneath the same, thus binding together the top and bottom bars, and when the clamping-levers are released both the side and cross bars may be shifted without the application of any appreciable force, and the slightest change in adjustments may be eiected.

Suspension-hooks 22 are secured to the ends of the cross-bars. whereby the stretcher-frame may be suspended from any suitable line 23, and in this connection I would call attention to the fact that any change in adjustments may be readily effected while the stretcher is in suspended condition.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is#

In a device of the character described. the combination with a stirrup having apertured sides, a cross-bar loosely mounted within the stirrup and a second bar loosely mounted within the apertured sides, of an angular, resilient clamping device fulcrumed within the stirrup, and a lift integral with said device;

In testimony whereof l affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HELENA A. SGHVARZ.

Witnesses:

PORTER WooD, Guo. G. HORN. 

